infidelity

[ in-fi-del-i-tee ]

noun

, plural in·fi·del·i·ties.

1. marital disloyalty; adultery.
2. unfaithfulness; disloyalty.
3. lack of religious faith, especially Christian faith.
4. a breach of trust or a disloyal act; transgression.

infidelity

/ ˌɪnfɪˈdɛlɪtɪ /

noun

1. lack of faith or constancy, esp sexual faithfulness
2. lack of religious faith; disbelief
3. an act or instance of disloyalty

Word History and Origins

Origin of infidelity¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin infidēlitās; equivalent to infidel + -ity

Example Sentences

An excerpt published from Page Six reveals that Carson and Wolcott's marriage was littered with infidelities.

From Salon

Stewart said she did when she worked as a stockbroker on Wall Street in the 1960s, but Andy never knew of her infidelity.

From Salon

Martha Stewart doesn't do warts, but Cutler edits a wry irony into the artful coverage she dabs on her blemishes, like her refusal to count her marital infidelity as equivalent to that of her husband.

From Salon

More disturbing is Zehme’s willingness to underplay Carson’s lifelong habit of infidelity and his catastrophic relationship with alcohol.

From Los Angeles Times

The rocker got honest about infidelity, revealing in a Sept. 10 Instagram post that he had welcomed a baby girl with a woman who is not his wife, Jordyn Blum.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adultery
• affair
• betrayal
• duplicity
• treachery